Nico Rosberg began the first pre-season test for MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS today, following the launch of the team´s new car and a filming day in Jerez yesterday.

• Nico completed three runs this morning before an electrical problem caused the car to stop on track
• Unburnt fuel in the exhausts subsequently ignited but did not cause any serious damage
• Further investigation identified that the fault originated in a wiring loom
• The necessary modifications are now taking place ready for tomorrow

DAY 1 Statistics

DAY 1 Times

Lewis Hamilton is due to drive on Wednesday for his first day of track testing with the team.

Nico Rosberg:"At the start of winter testing, you often encounter small issues because the car you´re running is a brand new design. We had an electrical problem this morning and, once we had found the root cause, chose to modify the parts to make sure it didn´t happen again. Of course, at this time of year all you want to do is spend time in the car and get a feeling for how it´s working, but these hiccups are just part of the game. During the laps I completed this morning, I had a good feeling with the car and it felt solid."